Folding mechanism for cartoning machines



Aug. 13, 1929. A. H. BOILEAU FOLDING MECHANISM FOR CARTONING MACHINES Filed March 50, 1928 Jaw/2257? M N? aura Patented Aug. 13, 1929.

UNITED, STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR H. BOIDEAU, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA, ASS IGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO OHEBBY-BURRELL CORPORATION, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORA- TION OF DELAWARE.

FOLDING- MECHANISM FOR CARTONING MACHINES.

Application filed March 30, 1928. Serial No. 265,850.

This invention relates folding mechanism for cartoning machines and artlcularly to mechanism which makes t e last fold in a carton and tucks in the end flap tip. While the invention may be applied successfully to various types of cartoning machines it has been designed primarlly for butter cartoning machines as disclosed and claimed in the copending application, Serial No. 255,004, filed February 17 1928.

The object of the invention is to provide novel folding mechanism which will positively and accurately make the last fold in a carton and insert the end flap tip in proper and final position.

Another object is to provide novel folding mechanism which will insert the flap tips and press the end flaps into final position and assure that the inserting blade for uiding the flap tips will be cleanly with drawn without damage to carton or its contents.

And a further object is to provide folding mechanism which is positive and efficient in operation, which is simple and durable in construction, and whichcan be read ily and economically manufactured and easily installed on existing machines.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating a selected embodiment of the invention the views are as follows:

Fig. 1 is a detail elevation of the folding mechanismapplied to a part of a carton ing machine.

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective View showing some of the parts in operating position.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of a carton partly folded.

Referring to the drawing, 5 designates a brid e which may be an lntegral part of the rame-of a cartoning machine, or it may he made in a separate unit and fixed to the frame. A rocker arm 6 is pivoted to the bridge at 7 and this rocker arm has a pair of links 8 and 8' pivoted at the ends thereof which are also pivoted to the levers 9 and 10 as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The levers.

are pivoted to a part of the machine frame at 11 and 12 respectively and carry arms 13 and 14 on which rollers 15 and 16 are revolubly mounted. The rocker arm 6 is operated by a revolving cam and connecting mechanism (not shown) but which is clearly shown and' described in the co-pending application aforesaid. Rocking movement of the arm 6 causes oscillatory movement of the levers 9 and 10 .which in turn cause vertical reciprocatory or oscillatory movement of the arms 13. and 14 as will be apparent from an inspection of the drawing.

A pair of gates 17 and 18 pivoted to the frame at 19 and 20 respectively are provided with springs 21 to keep the gates in contact with rollers 15 and 16. The gates are provided with cams 22 and 23 against which the rollers contact during operation of the rocker arm 6 to swing the gates on their pivots. Upon return movement, or normal position of the rocker arm 6, the gates will be returned to normal or idle position by the springs 21.

A three-arm bell crank 21 is pivoted to the bridge 5, at 25, and a link 26 pivoted to the bell crank is operated vertically by suitable means (not shown), but which is clearly shown and described in the before mentioned copending application. A closing head support bracket 27 carries a face plate 27 which is securely fastened to the frame as shown. This bracket has fixed thereto a pair of rods 28 upon. which the closing head 29 is slidably mounted. A pin 30 fixed to the closing head supports one end of a link 31 which has its other end pivotally connected at 32 to the bell crank 24. During vertical reciprocation of the link 26 the closing head 29 will reciprocate horizontally on the rods 28.

The closing head is provided with a blade 33 which enters into the end of the carton 34 to guide the main flap tip 36 on the main flap as it is being pushed into the carton by the gate 17. A finger 37 fixed to the closing head and spaced from the blade 33, Fig. 1, keeps the'carton from bulging or spreading and in proper relation to the blade 33.

A second closing head 38 carrying a blade 33 and a finger 37 is slidably mounted on the rods 39 which are fixed to the supporting bracket 40. A closing head connecting link or pitman rod 41, has one end thereof pivoted at 42 to the bell crank 24 and its other end pivoted to'a pin 13 mounted in the dos ing head 38. The heads 29 and 38 operate towards and away from each other simultaneously through the parts just described to I foldthe end flap 35 and insert the end flap tip 36 at each end of the carton 34.

Curved guides '44 and 45 are fixed toa part of the machme frame adjacen the gates to guide the carton end flap and to fold the end -flap tip in proper position for insertion in the'carton. These guides are provided with [curved faces 46, 46 to guide the flap and to permit swinging movement of. the gates and are open at their outer ends to allow the gates to move freely. The ends of the gates extend beyond the guides but these ends are moved along willthen bear-on the cams 22 and 23 andprovided with slots 17 and 18 in which the guides are positioned, thus permitting the gates to swing without interference with the guides.-

The carton having been otherwise folded, the operation of folding the end flaps and tips by my improved mechanism is as 'follows: The carton 34 and its contents are the guideways 47 and 48 to proper positlonwhere the end fiapsand tips are inserted in the carton. As the carton is moved to position the flap tips will engage the faces 46 and 46' on the guides 44 and and the rocker arm. 6 will operate 'to move the arms 13 and 14. The rollers 15 and 16 swing the gates 17 and 18 towards the end of the carton. During this movement of the gates the closing heads 29 and- 38 will move inwardly and the blades 33and 33" will enterthe-carton to guide the end flap tips. The gates move the end-flaps tight against the' carton and the guides 44 and 45 keep the tips in proper inserting position so that the may readily enter the carton. After this operation the arms and the-closing heads are then returned-to normal position andthesprings pull the gates away from the carton. The carton is then completely 'folded and ready to be removed from-the guideways 47 "struction, and arrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention and I reserve the for keeping the carton in right to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scopeof the following claims.

I claim: v

1. Mechanism for foldin an end flap and inserting the end flap tip of a carton into the carton comprising curved guides for guiding the end flaps and tips to proper position, pivotal gates adjacent said guides, cams on said gates, intermittently operated means contacting with said gates for operating the same, reciprocating blades adapted to enter the carton for guiding said tip into the carton as said gates are being operated, and fingers movable with said blades for engaging the outside of the carton to prevent bulging thereof. I

2. Mechanism for folding the end flaps and inserting the end flap tip of a carton into the carton comprising curved guides for guiding the end flaps and tips to proper position, pivoted gates adjacent said ides for foldingthe end flaps and tips to al position', cams on said gates, intermittently operated means including rollers operating on said cams for swinging said gates, reciprocatory means including blades for guiding the end-flap tips into the carton, and fingers carried by'said last named-means for keeping .the carton in proper position during return movementv of said last named means, and means for. retracting said gates as said last named means returns to normal'position.

3. Mechanism for folding the end flaps and inserting the end flap tips of a carton into the carton comprising curved guides for y guiding the end flaps and tips to insertion position, pivoted gates adjacent said guides adapted to bear against the end'of the carton and carry the carton flaps and tips therewith, cams on said gates, intermittently operated means for operating gates, rollers on said means and operating on said cams, in-

termittently reciprocating means operating simultaneously with said first named means, blades carried by said last named means for guiding the end flap tip into the carton as the gates advance towards the carton, fingers osition during return movement of said 'rst named means, and means for returning said gates to normal position during return movement of both of said means;

ARTHUR H. BOILEAU. 

